These are sneakers. Unless they’re on your feet, they don’t do anything but sit there. They don’t make the coffee so it’s waiting for you when you get up. They won’t dust and vacuum. They won’t repair your broken marriage. They’re just sneakers. And kind of silly looking ones too.

None of those facts stopped more than 500 people, some driving from hundreds of miles away, from showing up overnight at a store in Virginia, prompting more than two dozen police officers to respond to what was supposed to be the first sale of the sneakers.

About the blogger

Bob Collins retired from Minnesota Public Radio in 2019 after 12 years of writing NewsCut and pointing out to complainants that posts weren’t news stories. A son of Massachusetts, he was a news editor 1992-1998, created the MPR News regional website in 1999, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.

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A lot of 80’s design trends are coming back with a vengeance. I’ve been spending some time in furniture/housewares stores lately and have been really noticing it — big shades on lamps, wood veneer on furniture, lots of brass and gold, etc. I think it’s driven by people who weren’t around (or weren’t old enough to remember) it the first time.

Bob Sinclair

“Green shag carpet”!!

Barton

I was just looking at the new branding for Nicollet Mall (out of my office window). The “N” feels very ’80s. Dated before it’s even officially open….

Me too. It’s a shame so much of what the Twin Cities had has been lost.

On a related note, I chuckle when people mention the U of M as having great examples of Brutalist architecture on its campus. I suppose it does, but when I went there, we just thought the buildings looked old and ugly.

QuietBlue

I’ve long wondered what determines the point at what something goes from being simply dated or old-fashioned to retro and hip.

RBHolb

I see it as more early 70s. The overall look reminds me of the boxes of Peter Max Cereal.

AL287

Like PT Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”

$160? For a pair of ugly sneakers.

Really?

Kassie

Those are sexy sneakers. I’d wear them if I could get my hands on a pair.

Bob Sinclair

Only certain people could pull that off. And you might be one of them, but this fellow certainly isn’t.

Mike Worcester

Saying this in my curmudgeon voice — when I was young we had one type of Nike sneakers; white with a red stripe. And we liked it and did not complain. 🙂

Remember in the ’90s when people were getting killed for their Starter jackets? We’re insane.

Mike Worcester

And their Air Jordans….. :/

Rob

Santa Bears! I was nearly crushed to death at Dayton’s Roseville when I was dragooned by my mother-in-law into standing in line for one in the early 1990s. In line at 5:30, waiting in frigid weather to score one of the stupid things…

Jim in RF

I remember reading about Ralph Nader when he was ripping GM a new one over the Corvair. They hired some goons to break into his apartment to find some dirt on him. They discovered he only wore one pair of shoes – Navy surplus Everlasts. He’d bought a bunch on clearance and wouldn’t get the next pair out until he wore out the previous.

jon

Nikes in 2017 that are worth fighting over, should at least be self tieing…